Pages

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Pillars of the Earth: Tom Builder and Jamie Fraser

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read Pillars of the Earth!!!

Watched Pillars of the Earth on Starz last night. I never miss it. I think it's fantastic. I think they're sticking with the storyline so well. (Then again it's been 1.5 years since I've read the book and my memory is not what it used to be. I could be blissfully ignorant here.)

Last night as I was watching Tom Builder (sobbbbb!) and his son, John... I couldn't help but think of Jamie and young Willy at Helwater. The storylines have similarities: they both are living in close quarters with sons who don't know they are their fathers. Both men love these boys and want the best for them and love them enough to live the lie. It's truly heartbreaking.

In addition.. a few interesting things:

Both men are with women who are outsiders... and thought of as witches because of it.

Both men are responsible for many people - be they friends or employees - and have the weight of the world on their shoulders. Both men choose to meet this challenge head-on and welcome it.

Both men have to do back-breaking work in order to survive and provide for those around them.

Both men have a remarkable amount of honor. And as their audience, we're always aware of it.

7 comments:

Have started (again) on Pillars... I can already see what you mean about Tom and Jamie. I'm having trouble, tho, getting into Pillars (again). The writing isn't bad, not at all, it's just so different from Outlander. And I don't think I'm really used to the narrator point of view, after having seen the world for so long through Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser (Randall Fraser - ye time travelling nut!)'s eyes. Anyway, based on the recommendations of all my Purgatory Pals, I will keep on plugging away with Tom Builder. (Hurry up and finish book 8 already, DG! What could be taking so long? I mean, besides complicated plots, well developed characters and throughly researched historical accuracy?!)

Who you kidding, Tracey? Claire is getting right up there with Elizabeth Taylor.

Christie, Jenn M is reading Pillars right now (but for the first time) and said the same thing. She said she's not jumping right into it and I told her to keep going. I'm going to read World Without End with her when she finishes.

I am currently reading "Dangerous Highlander" and I have to say that I'm enjoying it. It's a fun read. I just had to let go of that "Oh this is so NOT Outlander" feeling. As I told my cousin, "It's not Shakespeare... but it gets the job done. LORDDDD does it get the job done." Two words: Lucan MacLeod.

OOO... me, too. Reading Pillars for the first time, that is. I had started it earlier this summer but didn't finish before it was due back at the library and I didn't renew it because I was going out of town and then... I don't know, I just hadn't gotten into it too much. But this week it was on sale at the grocery store and so, here I am again. Jenn M - you and me in it together, babe!

I'm listening to Pillars right now (gotta use those audible.com credits!) and watching the miniseries. I LOVE the miniseries, just LIKE the audio book. Something just doesn't jive for me between Follett's "thriller author" writing style and the epic tale. Great story, not crazy about his writing style in this genre. Or maybe it's the reader. Anyway,

SPOILER....

Did William just kill Tom Builder? Seriously? Right there in the middle of the story? What? WHAT?